Charlie, 13, Builds Dairy Business From a Single Jersey Cow in Cornwall

• Charlie from St Agnes saved for two years to buy his Jersey cow Clare as a calf
• The 13-year-old milks Clare every day after school and sells the milk and cream directly to customers
• Charlie's family say his passion for farming began when he was just two years old

A 13-year-old boy from Cornwall has turned a lifelong love of farming into a real business, running a one-cow dairy from his family's farm in St Agnes. Charlie launched Sid's Dairy after saving money for two years to buy a Jersey cow named Clare as a calf. He now milks her every afternoon when he gets home from school, using a portable milking machine to produce milk and cream that he sells directly to customers. He said:

"If I didn't have the milking machine, then it would take around five hours every day."

He comes from a family of tin miners and farmers and has grown up surrounded by animals. His earliest memory is sitting in a New Holland tractor with his dad at the age of two.

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From calves to clare

According to BBC News, Charlie's path to starting the dairy was not straightforward. His dad Ollie explained that Charlie had previously owned several male calves, but found it hard each time they were taken to market.

Along with covering Clare's daily feed, Charlie contributes to her veterinary costs. He is also already thinking about growth. His grandfather John, 80, said the bond Charlie shares with the animals on the farm is something special. Ollie added that seeing his son channel such energy into something positive had been a bright spot for the family.

Watch the TikTok video below:

People applaud the young farmer

The story caught attention online, with many viewers sharing their thoughts in the comments:

Network Error said:

"When it comes to showcasing African kids, BBC will draw the line. 😂"

Donsly said:

"I would have been you, but my African parents don't believe in saving up for their kids so that they can explore their fullest potential. Way to go, mate. 🥂"

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Eng. Chanasa Ababa shared:

"He is now 13 and has already started something of his passion. With such focus, you will hear of him as a billionaire 10 years from now. Kudos, welcome to dairy farming; it's the best thing you decided to do. Good parenting too."

Mark Noonan commented:

"Milking Claire is udderly amazing. 😊 Good job, smart kid."

Rhiannon wrote:

"Nice to see the BBC show something positive about farming for once! Need more of this content. 👏"

Lotus_spirit said:

"Btw this is normal in other parts of the world. Asian and African kids do that manually. They wake up around 4:00 AM and still go to school exhausted. No hate to this little gentleman."

3 Other Briefly News stories about farmers

• Katiso Nkoanyane graduated in Agricultural Management in 2016 but could not find work in South Africa's tough job market.
• A South African woman's video of her feeding two eland antelopes right outside her window captured hearts across the internet.
• Mpumalanga farm stall Jouber en Suens Padstal put their Orange (Groot Lemoen) landmark in South Africa's Schoemanskloof valley.

Source: Briefly News